A Heated Debate Between Two Charismatic Geniuses: A Cardinal Fan (Jeff Lung) and a Tiger Fan (Allen Krause)

The Filibuster

So what are you guys looking forward to the most this season?

Tim H.Bowen, IL____________________________________

I don’t know what to do with 2011. First off, it’s a prime number. Ok, I’m not completely sure on that and I don’t really feel like doing the math to check but I feel pretty safe in saying that it’s prime. Prime numbers just generally give me the creeps so I’m feeling a little unsettled.

In other arenas, 2011 is shaping up to be kind of blah. Sure, Jeter will probably get his 3,000th hit and that’s pretty impressive. But, the best case scenario only moves him up into the top 20 all time, which, although an exemplary accomplishment, still leaves him well south of Pete Rose.

As far as overall baseball records go, Mariano Rivera could surpass Trevor Hoffman’s still warm saves record but if I can be perfectly blunt, who cares? Again, yes, it’s impressive but when you trot out of the bullpen two or three times a week to get a couple outs, you’re not exactly the heart and soul of the team. Closers are like field-goal kickers. People know who you are and you have an important role on the team but no one really cares until you blow one.

So what does that leave? There are no meaningful elections this year so that’s not an option. Strasburg is going to miss the season so the game’s newest and greatest draw isn’t even going to be on the field. Sure, I’m hoping the Tigers will make a good run this season but that’s just one team. So what is there to look forward to?

I guess I’m looking forward to baseball without the bulls–t. Sure, stories will come up and issues will be invented as the season moves on but at this point, it’s just 30 teams trying to make it to and win the World Series. Ok, 29 because I’m pretty sure we can go ahead and count out the Pirates. But the fact remains, at this point, a few days before the season begins, everyone has the same record and no one knows who might be this year’s 2006 Tigers, 2007 Rockies or 2010 Rangers. Who knows, they might even push it a step further and actually win the thing like the 2010 Giants.

So that’s what I’m looking forward to. No labor issues, no steroid scandals, no imperfectly-called perfect games. Just baseball. Throw in a little sunshine and some beer and I think we got ourselves a winner.

-A

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Have to disagree about closers in general and Mo in particular. He is the heart and soul of the Yankees and I look forward to watching him pitch every season. Beyond that, I agree about the imperfectly called games. Maybe the umpiring will be better this year. On second thought, where’s the fun in that? No arguing calls? Nah.

Being pretty “old school” re: the issue of closers, I have to say I agree. I mean, sure it was fun back in the middle of the last decade when we had 3 pretty strong closers playing within 100 miles of each other out here–Hoffy, Gagne and Percival–and everyone arguing about them. Of course as the other poster mentioned Mo is great to watch and a solid professional. But if that’s the biggest factor in your team’s games, it’s not too exciting. You’d better have something else going the other 8 innings. Hell, I’d so much rather see pitchers throwing complete games and closers not EVER being needed. Maybe that has something to do with it being the 30th anniversary of Fernandomania this year. I don’t know. Like I said, I’m pretty old school and I’d rather see the SP go 9.

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